Borrowed from la-lat physicālis, from Latin physica, from Ancient Greek φυσική, feminine singular of φυσικός ("natural; physical"), from φύσις ("origin, birth; nature, quality; form, shape; type, kind"), from φῠ́ω ("grow"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH-.

• (British, America) IPA: /ˈfɪzɪkəl/

physical

1. Of medicine.
   1. (obsolete) Pertaining to the field of medicine; medical. [15th–19th c.]
   2. (obsolete) That practises medicine; pertaining to doctors, physicianly. [18th c.]
      • 1788, Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary: A Fiction‎:

        Her father was thrown from his horse, when his blood was in a very inflammatory state, and the bruises were very dangerous; his recovery was not expected by the physical tribe.

   3. (obsolete) Medicinal; good for the health, curative, therapeutic. [16th–19th c.]
      • 1579, Thomas North, translating Pliny, Parallel Lives:

        Phisicall [translating φαρμακώδεις (pharmakṓdeis)] herbes, as Helleborum, Lingewort, or Beares foote.

      • 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act II, scene ii]:

        Is Brutus sick? and is it physical / To walk unbraced, and suck up the humours / Of the dank morning?

2. Of matter and nature.
   1. Pertaining to the world as understood through the senses rather than the mind; tangible, concrete; real. Having to do with the material world. [from 16th c.]
      • 1848, John Stuart Mill, Principles of Political Economy: With Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], →OCLC ↗:

        Labour, then, in the physical world, is […] employed in putting objects in motion.

      It's not so much a physical place as a state of mind.

   2. In accordance with the laws of nature; now specifically, pertaining to physics. [from 16th c.]

      The substance has a number of interesting physical properties.

   3. Denoting a map showing natural features of the landscape (compare political). [from 18th c.]
3. Of the human body.
   1. Having to do with the body as opposed to the mind; corporeal, bodily. [from 18th c.]

      Are you feeling any physical effects?

      • 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 1, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC ↗:

        A society sunk in ignorance, and ruled by mere physical force.

   2. Sexual, carnal. [from 18th c.]
   3. Involving bodily force or contact; vigorous, aggressive. [from 20th c.]

      This team plays a very physical game, so watch out.

• mental, psychical, psychological, spiritual; having to do with the mind or spirit (or both) viewed as distinct from body.

• French: physique
• German: physisch, materiell, stofflich
• Italian: fisico
• Portuguese: físico
• Russian: физи́ческий
• Spanish: físico

• French: physique
• German: physikalisch
• Portuguese: físico
• Russian: физи́ческий
• Spanish: físico

• French: physiologique, physique
• German: körperlich, physisch
• Portuguese: físico
• Russian: теле́сный
• Spanish: físico

• Portuguese: físico, braçal
• Russian: физи́ческий

physical (plural physicals)

1. Physical examination.

   Synonyms: checkup, check-up

   How long has it been since your last physical?

2. (parapsychology) A physical manifestation of psychic origin, as through ectoplasmic solidification.
   • 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

     "I don't mind readings and clairvoyance, but the physicals do try you."

• French: visite médicale, check-up
• Portuguese: revisão
• Russian: медосмо́тр
• Spanish: revisación